Peer blasts Labour's rights record

A former adviser to the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on Labour's human rights record.

Lord Lester, who quit as Gordon Brown's adviser on constitutional reform last month, accused the Government of a "dismal and deeply disappointing" failure to defend the Human Rights Act.

He also said he felt like a "Government-tethered goat" during his 15-month tenure as prime ministerial adviser.

The eminent lawyer and Liberal Democrat peer was brought in as part of "government of all the talents" promised by Mr Brown when he came to office last year.

In a speech reported in The Guardian, Lord Lester said: "In spite of its achievement in introducing the Human Rights Act, the Government has a deeply disappointing record in giving effect to the values underpinning the Human Rights Act in its policies and practices."

"The Government could have celebrated Human Rights Day by defending the Human Rights Act against unfair attack.

"It could have celebrated by accepting the recommendations of the UN human rights treaty bodies, the joint committee on human rights and NGOs to allow the people of this country to exercise the right of individual petition against the Government under the international covenant on civil and political rights, the convention for the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, and the torture convention."

He singled out Justice Secretary Jack Straw for criticism, accusing him of "undermining" the Human Rights Act which was passed by the Government shortly after it came to power in 1997.

Citing an interview with the Daily Mail in which Mr Straw said many people thought the Act was a "villains' charter", Lord Lester said: "In his effort to appease the editor of the Daily Mail, the Justice Secretary has undermined the Human Rights Act.

"That is a lamentable departure from his predecessors as Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg and Lord Falconer, who staunchly defended the Human Rights Act."